Taweh Creek

{{Infobox river | name = Taweh Creek | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = Big Sheep Creek | name_etymology =  | image = | image_caption = | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = British Columbia | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption = Mouth of Taweh Creek  | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = [[Canada]] | subdivision_type2 = Province | subdivision_name2 = [[British Columbia]] | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name3 = [[Cassiar Land District]] | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 =  | length = {{convert|25|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="KF">Elevation, length and coordinates derived from [[Google Earth]] and the [https://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/search-place-names/search Canadian Geographical Names Database]</ref> | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location = | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = {{convert|4.32|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=watertool>{{cite web |url= https://nwwt.bcwatertool.ca |title= Northwest Water Tool |work= BC Water Tool |publisher= GeoBC, Integrated Land Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Government of British Columbia |accessdate= 2023-09-26}}</ref> | discharge1_max =  | source1 = [[Big Raven Plateau]] | source1_location = [[Tahltan Highland]] | source1_coordinates = {{coord|57|37|08|N|130|39|09|W|display=inline}}<ref name="KF"/> | source1_elevation = {{convert|1870|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="KF"/> | mouth = [[Mess Creek]] | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|57|41|53|N|130|57|35|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name="KF"/> | mouth_elevation = {{convert|558|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="KF"/> | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = {{convert|159|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name=watertool/> | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = [[Sezill Creek]] | custom_label = [[Topographic map|Topo map]] | custom_data = [[National Topographic System|NTS]] {{Canada NTS Map Sheet|104|G|10}} | extra = }}

'''Taweh Creek''' is a [[tributary]] of [[Mess Creek]], which in turn is a tributary of the [[Stikine River]] in northwest part of the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|province]] of [[British Columbia]], Canada.<ref name="bcgnis">{{BCGNIS|18502|Taweh Creek|access-date=2023-09-28}}</ref><ref>{{BCGNIS|22550|Mess Creek|access-date=2023-09-26}}</ref> It flows generally northwest for about {{convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} to join Mess Creek about {{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Mess Creek's confluence with [[Raspberry Creek (British Columbia)|Raspberry Creek]].<ref name="KF"/><ref name="bcgnis"/> Taweh Creek's [[drainage basin|watershed]] covers {{convert|159|km2|abbr=on}} and its mean annual [[Discharge (hydrology)|discharge]] is estimated at {{convert|4.32|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}.<ref name=watertool/> The mouth of Taweh Creek is located about {{convert|25|km|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Telegraph Creek]], about {{convert|60|km|abbr=on}} west-southwest of [[Iskut]] and about {{convert|100|km|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Dease Lake]].<ref name="KF"/> Taweh Creek's watershed's [[land cover]] is classified as 41.3% [[Barren vegetation|barren]], 21.1% [[shrubland]], 20.7% [[Conifer|conifer forest]], 8.4% [[Herbaceous plant|herbaceous]], 8.1% snow/glacier, and small amounts of other cover.<ref name=watertool/>

Taweh Creek is in [[Mount Edziza Provincial Park]] which lies within the traditional territory of the [[Tahltan]] people.<ref name="HR">{{cite map|url=https://volcano.si.edu/maps/GVAlaskaCanada/G910509-006.jpg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502071600/https://volcano.si.edu/maps/GVAlaskaCanada/G910509-006.jpg|title=Telegraph Creek, Cassiar Land District, British Columbia|scale=1:250,000|series=104 G|map=A 502|edition=3|type=Topographic map|publisher=[[Department of Energy, Mines and Resources]]|year=1989|language=en,fr|access-date=2021-09-25|archive-date=2021-05-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Markey|first1=Sean|last2=Halseth|first2=Greg|last3=Manson|first3=Don|title=Investing in Place: Economic Renewal in Northern British Columbia|publisher=[[University of British Columbia Press]]|page=242|year=2012|isbn=978-0-7748-2293-0}}</ref>

==Geography== Taweh Creek originates on the southern end of the [[Big Raven Plateau]].<ref name="HR"/> From its source just south of [[Mount Edziza]] between [[Coffee Crater]] and [[Cartoona Peak]], Taweh Creek flows about {{convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest to the northern base of [[Keda Cone]].<ref name="KF"/><ref name="HR"/><ref name="cgndb">{{cite cgndb|id=JBGWU|title=Taweh Creek|access-date=2023-09-29}}</ref> It then flows about {{convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} west to near the southwestern end of the Big Raven Plateau. From there, Taweh Creek flows about {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest to Hola Bluff where it flows north-northwest through a valley on the eastern edge of the Big Raven Plateau for an additional {{convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}}. Taweh Creek then flows about {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} west through a [[gorge]] to empty into Mess Creek.<ref name="KF"/><ref name="HR"/>

Taweh Creek's only named tributary, [[Sezill Creek]], is about {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of Taweh Creek's confluence with Mess Creek.<ref name="KF"/><ref name="cgndb"/> It is about {{convert|11|km|mi|abbr=on}} long and flows northwest into Taweh Creek from the western side of Mount Edziza.<ref name="KF"/><ref>{{BCGNIS|15312|Sezill Creek|access-date=2023-09-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite cgndb|id=JBBIP|title=Sezill Creek|access-date=2023-09-29}}</ref>

==Geology== Taweh Creek flows from a linear group of [[volcano]]es called the [[Mount Edziza volcanic complex]]. As a result, Taweh Creek has been engulfed by tongues of [[lava]] from the neighbouring [[Snowshoe Lava Field]]. Most of this lava issued from [[cinder cone]]s but one of the youngest lava flows to enter Taweh Creek originated from a [[fissure vent]] known as [[The Saucer]]. While the majority of this lava converged into the [[River source|head]] of Taweh Creek, some of it formerly extended more than {{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} downstream to near Mess Creek. An erosional remnant of this lava forms the lip of an {{Convert|18|m|ft|adj=mid|-high|abbr=off}} waterfall at an elevation of {{convert|730|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The Taweh Creek lava flows are of [[Holocene]] age and form part of the [[Big Raven Formation]].<ref name="Souther">{{cite report|last1=Souther|first1=J. G.|author-link1=Jack Souther|title=The Late Cenozoic Mount Edziza Volcanic Complex, British Columbia|work=[[Geological Survey of Canada]]|publisher=Canada Communication Group|series=Memoir 420|year=1992|pages=27, 230, 233|isbn=0-660-14407-7|doi=10.4095/133497|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==History== The historic [[Yukon Telegraph Trail]] crosses Taweh Creek in Mess Creek valley.<ref name="Mussio">{{cite book|editor-last1=Mussio|editor-first1=Russell|title=Northern BC Backroad Mapbook|publisher=Mussio Ventures|page=88|year=2018|isbn= 978-1-926806-87-7}}</ref> It was built to serve the nearly {{Convert|3000|km|mi|adj=mid|-long|abbr=on}} Yukon Telegraph Line which was constructed by the Dominion Government Telegraph Service between 1897 and 1901 to send messages from [[Ashcroft, British Columbia]] in the south to [[Dawson City]], [[Yukon]] in the north.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=17944|title=Yukon Telegraph Trail|publisher=[[Canadian Register of Historic Places]]|access-date=2023-09-26}}</ref> The telegraph trail crosses other tributaries along the eastern side of Mess Creek, including [[Crayke Creek]] about {{convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Taweh Creek.<ref name="KF"/><ref name="Mussio"/>

Taweh Creek was formerly called Big Sheep Creek which appeared on a BC Lands map published in 1929. Its current name was suggested by the BC Geographic Division to avoid confusion with other similarly-named features; it first appeared on maps in 1945. Taweh means [[mountain sheep]] in the [[Tagish language]].<ref name="bcgnis"/>

==See also== *[[List of rivers of British Columbia]]

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Cassiar Land District]] [[Category:Rivers of the Mount Edziza volcanic complex]] [[Category:Mount Edziza Provincial Park]] [[Category:Tributaries of Mess Creek]] [[Category:Stikine Country]] [[Category:Tahltan]]